The interesting part for me, however, is how they explain this change to users. The top right corner has a link that says "We've been remodeling. Come take a look." That immediately struck me because it's such a non-traditional, Web 2.0 way of writing copy.
The page you see when you click the "come take a look" link is shown below (again, click the thumbnail for a bigger version). I really like the content on this page, and how Amazon speaks to their customers here. My favorite part is how they framed what must have been countless hours of usability testing:
We consulted the foremost experts in the field: our customers. We traveled around the world, inviting customers like you to come and try out the new features and design. We listened to their feedback and made changes based on their opinions. Then we asked more customers for their advice, and we made more changes from their feedback. The design you see today reflects the input of many real-life customers of our U.S. and international websites
And about the slight color change of their main navigation bar:
Hmm. Something else looks different too. What is it?
Good eye! The color of the top navigation bar has changed--it's now a different (and slightly more fetching) shade of blue.
And then there are some quirky ways they address people who might not be happy with the change, like "But I liked Amazon the way it was! I really dug [insert your favorite feature here]."
I think this is a really great way of introducing design changes. Talk to users like real people. Be witty, open and honest. Acknowledge that everyone might not like the changes, but explain in simple language your reasons for doing it. Good job, Amazon...
1 comment:
I definately like the way that Amazon speaks to thier customers. It is very conversational and personal yet they also convey how much work went into the process. Other sites should take some notes...
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